Turnstile



F. L. HILIQ TURNSTILE Sept. 22, 1925.

I 4 Sheets-Sheet '1 Filed lay B, 1920 DIM/G14 Sept. 22, 1925.

F. L. HILL TURNSTILB Filed May 6, 1920 I 4 Shoots-Shut. 2

Sept. 22, 1925. 1,554,849

- F. L. HILL TURNSTILE Filed May 8, 1920- 4 Sheets-Sheet s iii i Sept. 22, f

F. L. HILL r TURNSTILE Filed May 8, 1920 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 W Zinf Patented Sept. 22, 1925. i

UNITED STATES FRANCIS L. HILL, OF BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA.

TURNSTILEi Application filed May 8,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, FRANCIS L. HILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Blacksburg, in the county of Montgomery and State of Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Turnstiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to turnstiles, and contemplates the provision of a change making mechanism which is designedfor use in conjunction with a turnstile, and actuated by levers which effects a control of the move ment of the turnstile, the invention being primarily designed to dispense with the services of a cashier or ticket seller for moving picture theaters or other places where the invention is susceptible for use.

In carrying out the present invention, 1 associate a change making mechanism with a normally locked turnstile, the operation of the latter being controlled by a lever which allows the turnstile to be adjusted to different predetermined distances, and the. ad mittance of a certain number of persons, the change from the coin deposited being simultaneously delivered to a tray disposed with respect to the turnstile, whereby the change can be conveniently taken up by the operator as he passes through the turnstile.

he nature and advantages of the invention will be better understood from the fol lowing detail description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, the invention residing in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as claimed. i in the drawings forming part of this application, like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views and wherein Figure 1 is a plan view showing the relative position of the turnstile and the casing in which the coin operated mechanism is arranged.

Figure 2 is a front elevation.

Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on line S il of Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 1 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 1-& of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary front view, partly in elevation and partly in section of the casing and coin operated mechanism ar ranged therein, 7

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 1920. Serial No. 379,351.

66 of Figure 4; looking in the directionof the arrows. Figure 7 is a view in elevation of the driving connection between the coin actuated shaft and the shaftof the turnstile. Figure 8 is a plan view thereof.

Referring to the drawings in detail, A indicates generally a turnstile of well known construction adapted to be arranged at the entrance of a theater, amusement park or any other place where such devices may be used. Positioned to one side and in close proximity to the turnstile, is a casing 10 in which is arranged the mechanism, for controlling movement of the turnstile as well as making changeof coins of certain denomi nation which may be deposited in the machine. Supported upon top of thecasing 10 is a holder 11 for a card 12 containing instructions as to how to manipulate the macnine. The railing usually provided at the entrance of amusement places, is indicated at 18.

Arranged within the casing 10 adjacent the front wall thereof is a vertically disposed shaft 142, this shaft being arranged in parallelism with the shaft 15 of the turnstile A. Fixed upon the lower end of the shaft 1 1 is a relatively large wheel 16 having depressions 17 in the periphery thereofto accommodate the links of an endless chain 18 which is trained over this wheel, and also over a relatively small wheel 19 fixed upon the shaft of the. turnstile as clearly illustrated in Figure 7. The shaft 15 is actuated by power transmitted from the shaft 1a to the shaft 15 through the instrumentality of the chain 18. The chain 18 is trained over a plurality of guide pulleys 20 and also trained over an idler 21 which is vertically movable in a slotted guide 22 of substantially U-shaped formation. The cross piece of the guide is provided with a proiection 23 which is received by one of the link depressions 2d of the idler 21 when the latter is in its uppermost position, thus locking the turnstile against movement as will be readily understood. The ratio of the wheels 16 and 19 respectively is approximately six to one, so that when the shaft ltis rotated 15 degrees, the length of chain unwound from the wheel 16 and taken up by the wheel 19 is such as to allow the turnstile to move ninety degrees. This adjustment of the turnstile allows one person to pass through the latter. As the chain is unwound from the wheel 16, the idler 21 moves downwardly in its guide away from the cross piece thereof, thus unlocking the turnstile to permit of its movement, but as the slack in the chain is taken up incident to the adjustment of the turnstile, the idler is returned to its nor mal or uppermost position in the guide, to receive the projection 23 and thus lock the turnstile against further movement.

The means for controlling movement of the shaft 14, embodies a plurality of superimposed cylindrical members mounted on the shaft 1 1, and indicated at 25 26 and 27 res ectively. These members are provided Wit alined bores 28 for the reception of the shaft 14 while each member is further provided with a transversely disposed recess 29 which intersects the bore 28, the outer end of each recess communicating with one of a plurality of elongated slots 30 provided in the front wall of the casing 10. Horizontally movable within each recess 29 is a lever 31 which projects through the alined slot 30 of the casing for manual operation. The innermost end of each lever 31 is provided with an opening 32 for the reception of the shaft 1 1, and fixed upon the said shaft at spaced intervals, is a plurality of ratchet wheels 33. Manifestly, there is one of these ratchet wheels for each of the levers 31 and which ratchet wheel is partly fitted in the opening 32 of its respective lever. This lever is provided with a spring pressed pawl 35 cooperating with the ratchet wheel to allow the lever to move idly over the shaft let in one direction and to rotate the shaft upon movement of the lever in a reverse direction. Each of the above referred to cylindrical members, is further provided with an arcuate shaped vertically disposed passage 36 which opens into the transverse recess 29 and forms part of a coin chute. Operating within the arcuate shaped passage 36 of each cylindrical member, is a pair of spaced parallel fingers 37 which depend from the lever associated with said member. The underside of each lever is cut away or slotted as at 39, which unitedly defines with a like slot in its associated member, a coin-slot. The cut away or slot of the levers '31 as well as the space between the fingers '37 register with the slot of the members only when the levers 31 are arranged in normal position as suggested in Figure 4- 0f the drawings. Consequently, a coin cannot be inserted in the slot until the levers are arranged in normal position, but when a coin is inserted in said slot it is received in the space between the'fingers 37 and moved therewith through the arcuate shaped passage 36.

The opposed side walls of the arcuate shaped passage 36 are provided with a plurality of spaced super-imposed coin supporting ribs 40, which successively increase in length from the uppermost to the lowermost rib as clearly shown in Figure 6. The ribs of one series are horizontally alined withthe ribs of the other series and cooperate in pairs so as tosupport the coin 41 at different pro-determined heights within the passage 36, while the lever 31 is being moved idly over the shaft 14.. The coin is also held in the predetermined position while the lever is being returned to normal position, in which direction of movement of the lever the shaft 14 is rotated. All of the ribs terminate short of the end Wall 4L2 of this passage, except the uppermost pair of ribs of the opposed side walls,so that when the lever assumes its normal position, the coin 4L1 held between the spaced fingers 37, is moved away from the ribs upon'which it was supported, and allowed to drop through the coin chute to the coin receptacle arranged at an appropriate point within the casing 10. lVhilethe lever is being returned to normal position, and just prior to assuming this position, a coin a1 held between the fingers 37 operates one of a plurality of trip elements 12 arranged between the ribs 40. By this arrangement the trips 42 control the change making mechanism to be hereinafter described. It is to be understood that the uppermost cylindrical member 25 is not equipped with any trip elements 42, or in other words with any change making mechanism, and consequently is provided with but one pair of coin supporting ribs 40. This isdue to the fact that the lever associated with the member 25 is only operated with a coin of the denomination entitling one person to pass through the turnstile, namely a ten-cent piece. Therefore, when a coin of this denomination is in serted within the coin slot of the member 25, it is received between the spaced parallel fingers 37 of the lever operating within this member, and the coin supported by the ribs 40. The lever is then moved idly over the shaft let a predetermined distance or in other words to the position indicated by the numeral 1 Figure 5 beneath the adjacent slot 30 of the casing 10. hen in this position, the coin is moved away from the sup-' porting ribs 40 and consequently drops from between the fingers 37 to the coin receptacle. Now, as the lever is returned to normal position, the pawl 35 engages the ratchet wheel 33 and turns the shaft 14 the proper distance to adjust the turnstile 90 degrees.

The arcuate shaped passage 36 of the cylindrical member 26, is provided with spaced pairs of coin supporting ribs 40 while the spaced parallel fingers 37 of the lever oper ating within this member, are slightly longer than the fingers forming part of the lever operating within the member 25. This is because the lever operating within the member 26 is designed to handle cent pieces. When a coin of this denomination is inserted within the member 26and between the fingers 37 of the lever thereof, it is supported by the uppermost rib of the opposed walls of the passage 86, and when the lever is moved idly over the shaft the coin moves along these ribs until the lever reaches a predetermined position, in which position the coin has been moved away from the ribs and allowed to drop between the fingers 37 and allowed to respose upon the next pair of ribs in order. This position of the lever is indicated by the numeral 1 against the slot 80 of the casing 10 through which this lever operates. Should the lever be returned from this po sition to normal position, the shaft 14 would be rotated the requisite distance to adjust the turnstile 90 degrees allowing one person to pass therethrough; just prior to the return of the lever to normal position the coin arranged between the spaced fingers actuates the uppermost element 42, which controls the change making mecha nism so that 15 cents change would be de livered to the tray 44. However, should it be desired to adjust the turnstile A, 180 degrees, to admit of two persons passing there through, the lever operating in the member 26 would be moved idly over the shaft 14 to the position indicated by 2 beneath the slots of the casing 10 through which this lever operates. Manifestly, when adjusted to this position the pawl would engage the ratchet wheel 33 at a point so that when the lever was returned to normal position it would rotate the shaft 14 the requisite distance to unwind a sufficient length of chain from the wheel 16, to allow the turnstile to be adjusted to the above mentioned 180 degrees. hen the lever is moved to the position indicated at 2 beneath the slot mentioned, the coin arranged between the in gers of this lever, instead of reposing upon the second pair of ribs 40, is moved away from these ribs and allowed to drop between the fingers 37 to repose upon "the lowermost pair of ribs of the 1nember 26. Therefore, when the lever is returned to normal position by a consequent turning of the shaft 14, the coin between. the finger 37 is positioned to actuate the lowermost trip elen'ient 42, which controls the change mal ing mechanism in a manner so that but a 5-cent piece is delivered to the tray 44. It is quite obvious that the varying lengths of the ribs 40 provides for a selective operation of the trip elements 42 so that the proper amount of change is delivered to the tray 44, with regard to the coin of the particular denomination inserted in the machine, and a number of people to be admitted to the turnstile.

The member 27 varies from the members 25 and 26, above described, in the depth of the arcuate shaped passage 36, and a num ber of coin supporting ribs 40 arranged.

therein. This member'as well as the lever operating within the same is designed to handle a fifty-cent iece, and from one to five people can be a mitted to pass through the turnstile and the requisite amount of change is delivered to the operator. The ribs 40 of this member are illustrated in Figure (5, while the indicating characters beneath the slot in the casing 10, as shown in Figure 5, indicate that the lever can be adjusted to any one of five positions. When a coin of the above denomination is inserted into the slot of this member, it is first positioned upon the uppermost pair of supporting ribs 40 and when the lever is ad justed to the first position indicated by the numeral 1 beneath the slot of the casing, the coin indicated at 41 in Figure 6 moves away from the uppermost ribs and gravitates through the space between the fingers 37 until it strikes and rests upon the next pair of ribs 40. If but one personis to pass through the turnstile, the lever is returned to normal position, operating the up permost trip element 42 which is connected with the change making mechanism so that 40 cents, including a quarter, a dime and a nickel is delivered to the tray 44. The operation is the same irrespective of how many persons from 1 to 5 are to pass through the turnstile, the lever being adjusted to any one of the five positions, so that at each adjustment, the coin 41 drops from one pair to the next pair of ribs as above described. The particular position of the coin between the fingers 37 while the lever is being returned to normal position, controls the operation of one of the trip elements 42 so that the proper amount of change is delivered to the tray 44. i

The coin changing mechanism embodies a plurality of coin containers arranged within the casing in parallelism to each other, each containerbeing indicated at and of proper diameter to accommodate columns of coins of a particular denomination. There are preferably four of these containers, one of a size to accommodate 5-cent pieces, two of a size to accommodate a column of lO-cent pieces, and one of a size to accommodate a column of 25-cent pieces. The coins are ejected from their respective containers singly or in combination to make the proper change for the coins inserted in the machine, while the mechanism for ejecting the coins from their containers collectively operates in the manner above described by the trip element 42. These trip elements of each of the members 26 and 27 are pivoted upon a shaft 51 and of course are independently operable. The respective groups of these elements are covered by casings indicated at 53. Each of these elements has its free extremity projecting within the arcuate'shaped passage 36 of its respective member, operating through one of a plurality of slots 44. Each trip element 42 is connected to one end of a rod 54 the opposite end of which is connected to a lever 55 idly mounted upon the shaft 56 which is common to all of the levers 55. Each lever 55 is connected to one end of a coin ejecting element having a forked extremity, the extremity of one element having one prong, others two, and others, three prongs. It will be noted that there are two of these elements indicated at 57 and 58 respectively for the trip elements 42 operating within said member 26. The forked extremity of the member 57 is provided with two prongs'a s shown in Figure 3, so that when the uppermost trip element 42, associated with this member is actuated, the ejector 57 is operated to eject a IQ-cent piece from one of the containers 50 and a five-centpiece from one of the containers 50, the prongs 59 of the ejector 57 being associated with these two containers for this purpose. The coins ejected in the manner described are received in a chute which con-- veys the coins to the tray 44. The other ejector 58 of the member 26, is associated with the lowermost trip element clearly shown in Figure 4, and this ejector 58 is with the container for the five cent pieces being operable to make change of a 25-cent piece inserted in the member 26, after two people have passed through the turnstile. There are four of these ejecting elements, one for each of the trip elements 42 associated with the member 27. The uppermost of this group of ejectors indicated at 61, has a forked extremity equipped with three prongs indicated at 62 in' Figure 3. One of these prongs cooperates with the container for the 25-cent pieces, one prong with the container for the 10-cent pieces, and the other with the container for the 5-cent pieces. This element is operable to make change for a 50-cent piece when only one person passes through the turnstile,-and obviously ejects from the container one of the three mentioned pieces making a total of forty cents conveyed to the tray 44. The ejecting-element indicated at 63, has a forked extremity which includes two prongs one cooperating with the container for the twen ty-five cent pieces and one with the container for the five-cent pieces. This element is actuated to make change for a fifty-cent piece when two persons are passed through the turnstile and obviously it ejects a twentyfive cent piece and a five cent piece from the container making a total of thirty cents which is conveyed to the tray 44. The

prongs of'this member are indicated at 64 in Figure 3. The next one of the ejector elements'in order being indicated at 65 in Figure 4, the forked extremity of this element is provided with two prongs which cooperate with both of the containers for the IO-cent pieces. These prongs are indicated at 66 in Figure 3. Obviously when this ele ment is actuated, two ten cent pieces are ejected from their respective containers and conveyed to the tray 44. The next element of this group is indicated at 67 and the latter is provided with but one prong 68 which cooperates with one of the containers of the ten-cent pieces. This element is actuated to make change for a fifty cent piece deposited in the member 27 after four people have passed through the turnstile. Obviously, a ten-cent piece is ejected from one of the containers, through an operation of this element and conveyed to the tray 44. The forked extremities of all of the ejector elements are associated with slides 69 to operate beneath the coin container into guides 70. Springs 7lare arranged in the manner shown in Figure'4 to normally re turn the ejectors from an active to an inactive position.

While it is believed that from the foregoing description the nature and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, I desire to'have it understood that I do not limit myself to the details of construction herein shown and described inasmuch as such changes may be resorted to when desired as fall within the scope of what is claimed. y

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new is: I

In'combination, aturnstile, means for adjusting the t'urnstile at different predetermined distances, a plurality 'of independently operable levers included in said means, a coin change mechanism associated with said means, a plurality of superimposed members included in said coin change mechanism, a shaft passing through said superimposed members, said levers being adapted to independently rotate said shaft, each superimposed member being provided with a coin receiving slot, a plurality of trip elements included in said coin change making mechanism and being assoei-ated'with each of said superimposed members adjacent the coin slot thereof, said trip members being in operative connection with said levers through the instrumentality of a coin, and cooperating means for each trip member and the adjacent lever for positioning said coin in proper relation with a selective trip element.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FRANCIS L. HILL. 

